Kiana Perez, LMHC

Hello! My name is Kiana. I was born and raised in California and moved to Oregon in March of 2021 for a change of scenery. I love being in nature and keeping myself busy by caring for my pets, working on challenging puzzles, and indulging in art and music.

I am an LMHCA (Licensed Mental Health Counselor Associate) and a Certified Alcohol and Drug Counselor (CADC I). My educational background includes a dual Bachelor’s degree in Psychology and Legal Studies from UC Berkeley and a Master’s degree in Counseling from Palo Alto University.

The 4+ years of experience I gained in the mental health field comes from my time working as a substance abuse counselor and working at inpatient mental health crisis facilities. In these settings, I provided individual counseling, group counseling, and general mental health support services to adults with co-occurring substance use and mental health diagnoses. Currently, I work with adults to address depression, anxiety and other mental health diagnoses as well as processing past traumas and building self-esteem. I have worked with people from all walks of life, including those in the LGBTQIA+ community, those with chronic illness and pain, and those from diverse cultural backgrounds.

I utilize an interdisciplinary, strength-based approach that incorporates techniques from EMDR (Eye Movement Desensitization and Reprocessing), DBT (Dialectical Behavioral Therapy), and Motivational Interviewing (MI). I believe everyone is the expert on all things them and is deserving of a counseling experience that meets their own unique needs. My goal is to provide a collaborative, nonjudgmental, and inclusive environment that supports the exploration of creative solutions to hardships.

I received a dual Bachelor’s degree in Psychology and Legal Studies from UC Berkeley in 2017 and am currently attending Palo Alto University to complete my Master’s degree in Counseling with an emphasis in Marriage, Family, and Child Counseling. I am a Certified Alcohol and Drug Counselor in the state of Oregon and have over 3 years of experience in the mental health field as a substance abuse counselor and rehabilitation worker in mental health inpatient facilities. Most of my experience consists of providing services to adults with substance dependence and co-occurring disorders. I have also worked with adults to address depression and/or anxiety symptoms, effects from past trauma, and re-entry into society following incarceration.